
Earlier today MLB officially announced the 2017 regular season schedule. The Yankees will open the season on the road for the first time since 2014 next year. Opening Day is Sunday, April 2nd, in Tampa Bay in one of the ESPN games. The Rays and Diamondbacks get the two Sunday games next year because they’ll be celebrating their 20th anniversaries. Can you believe they’ve been around 20 years already? Geez.
Anyway, the Yankees opened the 2012 season in Tropicana Field as well. That was the “intentionally walk Sean Rodriguez so Carlos Pena can hit a grand slam” game, not that it still irks me or anything. Not sure why there’s an off-day Monday — no chance of a rainout in a dome! — but there is one. Lame. The season starts with three games in Tampa, then after another off-day Thursday, the Yankees go to Baltimore for a three-game series before coming home for the first time. Next year’s home opener is Monday, April 10th, also against the Rays. Here’s the full 2017 schedule. Here are some highlights.
Interleague Play
As expected, the Yankees will play NL Central clubs during interleague play next year. It rotates divisions each year and the NL Central is due up. The Cardinals (April 14th to 16th), Brewers (July 7th to 9th), and Reds (July 25th and 26th) and are coming to visit Yankee Stadium while the Yankees will go out on the road for series against the Pirates (April 21st to 23rd), Cubs (May 5th to 7th), and Reds (May 8th and 9th).
Going to Wrigley Field will be fun. The Yankees were last there in 2014. I remember that because Dellin Betances struck out Anthony Rizzo with two breaking balls that hit him.
Subway Series
Yet again, the 2017 Subway Series will be a four-game home-and-home series. I hate that. I and I think most folks would prefer two three-game series. That way there will be a legitimate series winner — the Yankees and Mets split the four games this season, remember — and bragging rights will actually be on the line. Who doesn’t love that? Anyway, the Yankees will host the Mets at Yankee Stadium on August 14th and 15th before going to Citi Field on the 16th and 17th. That’s a Monday to Thursday.
West Coast Trips
All things considered, the Yankees have a really easy West Coast travel schedule next season. They’re only make two West Coast trips in 2017: a seven-gamer through Anaheim and Oakland from June 12th through the 18th, then a four-gamer in Seattle from July 20th to 23rd. The Yankees will go from Minnesota to Seattle for that series, so they won’t even have to sit through a long cross country flight. Nice work, schedule makers.
Final Homestand
For the second straight year and only the third time since 2006, the Yankees will close out the 2017 regular season at home in the Bronx. The final series of the season is a three-gamer against the Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium. Who knows what will be on the line that series. AL East title? Wildcard spot? Nothing? That’s a quick three-game homestand. The Yankees play their second-to-last series of the season in Tampa. All but six of their 28 September games are against AL East opponents. Three-game sets with the Rangers and Twins are the only exceptions. Lots and lots of intradivision games in September. Makes the races fun.
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